Gear Reviews
Hands-on camera, lens, iPhone accessory, lighting, and editing software reviews by Ely Roberts. Browse the latest reviews below, or use the Reviews menu to explore a category.
Why I Sold My Fujifilm X-E5 After Six Months
After six months and a 12-day Portugal trip, I sold my Fujifilm X-E5.
After six months and a 12-day Portugal trip, I sold my Fujifilm X-E5. I still loved the photographs, but its small controls and handling did not suit me as well as I had hoped.
Originally published on YouTube Apr 8, 2026.
What I still loved
Fujifilm’s colors, JPEG options, and film simulations remained major strengths for me. I enjoyed the files from the 40-megapixel sensor and the character of higher-ISO images. On the Portugal trip, charging each night was enough for my daily use.
The controls were the problem
The rear dial felt soft to me, and I frequently bumped controls while taking the camera in and out of a bag. I missed a dedicated ISO dial and found the small body less comfortable with the 16-55mm zoom. The screen movement and memory-card access were other small frustrations.
Autofocus and my next step
For quick photographs of my daughter, I wanted faster and more dependable focus. The X-E5 could make beautiful images, but it was not my preferred tool for fast-moving moments. I would personally lean toward the X-T5 for its grip, dials, and screen. This is a follow-up to my earlier X-E5 review, showing how my opinion developed with longer use.
Related reviews
Watch on YouTube and view the original product links. Some shopping links in the original description may be affiliate links.
Fujifilm X-E5 Review After Two Months
I moved from the X-T5 to the smaller Fujifilm X-E5 because I wanted a fun personal camera I would bring along more often.
I moved from the X-T5 to the smaller Fujifilm X-E5 because I wanted a fun personal camera I would bring along more often. After the first couple of months, its colors and compact form appealed to me, while autofocus and controls remained compromises.
Originally published on YouTube Dec 23, 2025.
Why I enjoyed the photographs
I loved Fujifilm’s film simulations and image character, especially for family memories. I used the small 23mm lens and the 16-55mm zoom, sometimes with a CineBloom filter. The JPEGs and matching profiles in my editing workflow made it easy to get a look I enjoyed.
Handling in a small body
The corner viewfinder and compact shape were enjoyable, and a SmallRig grip helped my larger hands. I disliked how easily the command dials pressed inward, and removing the memory card was awkward. USB-C charging and offloading were convenient alternatives.
My autofocus expectations
For my fast-moving daughter and paid work, I preferred the response of my Canon cameras. The X-E5 still made photographs I loved, but I did not choose it as my wedding workhorse. These are practical impressions from my own shooting, rather than a controlled autofocus benchmark.
Read the six-month follow-up
This article reflects my earlier, two-month opinion. After more travel and use, I sold the camera; the later follow-up explains why. Reading both gives a clearer picture of how my enthusiasm and frustrations developed.
Related reviews
Watch on YouTube and view the original product links. Some shopping links in the original description may be affiliate links.
My Fujifilm X-T5 Travel Kit: XF 16–55mm II and CineBloom
My everyday travel kit pairs the Fujifilm X-T5 with the XF 16–55mm F2.8 II and a Moment 10% CineBloom filter.
My everyday travel kit pairs the Fujifilm X-T5 with the XF 16–55mm F2.8 II and a Moment 10% CineBloom filter. It is a setup that makes me want to take photographs for fun.
Originally published on YouTube Apr 16, 2025.
Why I prefer this zoom for travel
I like the flexibility of a zoom when moments are changing quickly. The 16–55mm II gives me a versatile range, and I have been impressed by its sharpness on the X-T5. I discuss the lens and show sample photographs in the video.
The accessories I actually carry
The kit includes a SmallRig grip, a compact iM30 flash, Peak Design strap attachments, and small carrying bags. The CineBloom filter adds a softer glow, which is a creative choice rather than a setting I would want for every photograph.
Handling matters
I keep the aperture ring on A and use a camera dial because I can bump the ring. The video also touches on the X-H2S as a different option for someone placing more emphasis on video.
Original samples or settings: Download here.
Watch on YouTube and view the original product links. Some shopping links in the original description may be affiliate links.
Iceland with the Fujifilm GFX: A 10-Day Photo Journey
Explore a 10-day Iceland photo journey with the Fujifilm GFX 100S and X100V: waterfalls, glaciers, hot springs, hotels, and a full photo gallery.
Quick take: In April 2022, my wife and I spent ten days exploring Iceland with a GFX 100S, four GF lenses, and an X100V. This photo journal follows the places we visited and the gear behind the images.
Travel journal from April 2022. This records our trip and the conditions at that time.
https://youtu.be/N7IK7d5_V9I?si=dvZZKDXlhfIssMOt
In April of 2022, my wife and I took a 10-day trip to Iceland for my 40th Birthday. Where we drove close to 3000 miles around the country and I took over 5000 images. I brought along a GFX 100s and four lenses.
On this webpage, you'll see all the locations that we traveled to, and the hotels we stayed in You can also see some of our favorite Hot Springs that we visited. I hope that if you do make the trip there this video is helpful. This is just a fraction of the photos I took and it took me two years to add them all since I took so many.
I brought the GFX 100 S with the GF 23mm, GF 45mm, GF 80mm, and GF 100-200mm. I also brought a Fujifilm X100V for walking around photos. All of these images were edited with ASTIA/soft Fujifilm profile in Lightroom and my own personal edits. I can't recommend the Fujifilm GFX 100 series enough. Every time I look at these images in Lightroom, my mind is blown by the detail and color range.
I am currently photographing most of my portrait and landscape work with the Fujifilm GFX 100 II. You can see my full review on that camera here. GFX 100 II Review
Off to Seattle
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We landed at Keflavík International Airport in the morning, grabbed breakfast, and headed to hike Fagradalsfjall volcano. We rented from Dacia Duster from Blue Car Rental. The Duster was a decent little AWD car. I wanted a Defender but it was just out of my budget.
This is a very rough estimate of our trip around the Country.
Fagradalsfjall volcano
The hike was pretty easy but it was a bit windy and cold. We were also a bit tired from an overnight flight. 
Sky Lagoon
Our Second stop was Sky Lagoon. As of 2022, this was a new location on the edge of Reykjavík overlooking the ocean. This place could not have been more amazing. It was a little chilly out and the water ranged from a 50-degree cold plunge pool and 108-degree water.
Reykjavík
We finally checked into our hotel to Facetime our little baby and take a short nap. There are a lot of hotel options in Reykjavic, so I would just look on hotels.com and find one that suits you.
After a short nap, we hit the streets of Reykjavik. This city is full of quirky art and is very charming.
We stopped at a food court and at the most amazing restaurant called Skal!. It was so good we ate there again on our last night in Iceland.
After a quick breakfast at our hotel, we hit the road to see some waterfalls and begin our journey around the country.
Seljalandsfoss
Our first waterfall was Seljalandsfoss.
Driving through the southern part of Iceland was breathtaking. I had to pull over every 10 minutes to take a photo.
Skógafoss
Our Second Waterfall was Skógafoss. This is probably one of the most popular falls in Iceland and was pretty busy. I found that if you are willing to get soaked you can get a photo with no one else in it.
There was a really good fish and chips food truck next to the parking lot. We brought our own Viking Beer from the grocery store.
Mia's Country Van - Local Fish & Chips
Jokulhaus Glaciers
We stumbled on Jakulhaus Glacier and were amazed by the mass size of this ice field.
Smiðjan Brugghús
We stopped into Smiðjan Brugghús for some soup and a beer. Everything was amazing.
Reynisfjara Beach
After lunch, we drove to Reynisfjara Beach to see the black sands and some epic rock formations.
Dyrhólaey Lighthouse
We drove up to the Dyrhólaey lighthouse to see some beautiful views of The Endless Black Beach. There were also a bunch of puffins hanging out on the cliffs.
VIK, Iceland
For our second night, we stayed in VIK at Hótel Kría.
Fjaðrárgljúfur
Fjaðrárgljúfur is a must-stop. This canyon is just beautiful.
Svínafellsjökull Glacier
While driving we saw Svínafellsjökull Glacier and pulled off the road and headed out for a hike.
Fosshotel Glacier Lagoon
Fosshotel Glacier Lagoon Hotel was hands down the nicest "hotel" we stayed at in Iceland. They had an outdoor hot tub and amazing food. We stayed here for two nights because it was close to some of Iceland's best locations to visit.
Mulagljufur Canyon
After an amazing breakfast, we started our short hike up Mulagljufur Canyon. This canyon alone is stunning but it also offers some incredible views overlooking southern Iceland.
Fjallsárlón
We stopped in at Fjallsárlón and were amazed. It's hard to fathom the sizes of these ice fields. 
We saw three different herds of wild caribou on our journey.
Höfn
We drove to Höfn and stopped in at Pakkhús Restaurant to try their famous langoustine.
Stokksnes
After dinner, we head to Stokksnes for sunset. This place was out of this world. We also walked to the first Viking village for a self-guided tour.
Diamond Beach
On our way back west towards our hotel we stopped by Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach. One thing to note is that the tides are several feet in Iceland, so you have to catch the right tide to see the glaciers on the beach. The glaciers are sucked out from Glacier Lagoon with the tide and washed back up on shore by the waves.
Northern Lights
We drove back to Viewpoint of Fjallsjökull to wait for the northern lights. It wasn't until around 1:30 am and 28 degrees that the sky cleared, the sunset, and we were able to catch a glimpse of this beautiful light show.
After sleeping in after a late night out we drove back to Diamond Beach for another view.
Here you can see a mother swan sitting on eggs and the father protecting her.
This is the view you will see when hitting the southeast side of Iceland.
We stumbled on this little hot spring that was almost too hot to sit in. We had this spot to ourselves and it was amazing. GPS Location
Some of the roads on the east and northeast sides of Iceland can get a bit bumpy so it's nice to have an offroad capable vehicle.
Seydisfjordur
We drove over a small pass to Seydisfjordur to see where the boats come in from the Faroe Islands and Demark and stopped in for lunch.
Here is a stunning view from our way back from Seydisfjordur to stay in Egilsstaðir for the night then move on to the north. The hotel we picked for this night was next to a cow farm and a little stinky so I won't link it here.
Dettifoss
The next morning we drove to Dettifoss waterfall which was huge and had some of the most stunning views.
Svartaborg
The northeastern part of Iceland is pretty sparse so we picked a cabin in the middle of nowhere to stay in. This cabin had a private hot tub that was filled from a hot spring and this was probably one of the coolest places we stayed the whole time we were there. The cabin was called Svartaborg and it was the most we paid for one night at $250 USD.
Akureyri
The next morning we drove towards Akureyri. We had the most amazing views of these fjords like I have never seen before. The town of Akureyri was a really busy port in a good-sized town. They even had a Fujifilm store that unfortunately was not open. We stopped in for coffee and a sandwich and headed west.
We crossed this bridge and pulled over to watch what looked like a rushing river to see the tides coming back in.
Grundarfjörður
Next, we stopped in Grundarfjörður for dinner where they specialize in everything, cod and seaweed.
We ate at Bjargarsteinn Mathús where I had cod, cheeks, tongue, and gills paired with seaweed and a seaweed wine. As odd as it sounds, it was delicious.
Kirkjufell Mountain
That night we stayed at a small rental next to Kirkjufell Mountain. We had a clear view of the mountain and saw a bit of the northern lights after a beautiful sunset.
Búðir
On our way back to Reykjavik we stopped by the famous black chapel.
Friðheimar
Next, we headed to Friðheimar. This is a large tomato farm/restaurant where you can eat and drink everything tomato. From tomato soup and tomato beer to tomato ice cream it was all delicious.
Walking the streets of Reykjavik is always a good time.
Reykjavík Roasters is really good. They also have great breakfast options.
Hallgrimskirkja
This spaceship-looking building is a church in the heart of Reykjavik and is pretty darn cool.
Blue Lagoon
On our last day, we visited the Retreat at Blue Lagoon Iceland. This is one of the more well-known hot springs and was just as wonderful as you would expect. we were there on a misty day getting sprinkled with rain. You get a wristband to gain access and buy drinks in the lagoon. I can't recommend this location enough.
After relaxing in the hot springs we were rested and ready to travel home to our beautiful little girl. This trip was a trip of a lifetime, but I seriously can not wait to go back.
Fujifilm GFX 100 II Review: 25,000 Photos of Real-World Use
My Fujifilm GFX 100 II review after five months and 25,000 photos, covering weddings, portraits, editorial work, and upgrading from the GFX 100S.
Quick take: After five months and roughly 25,000 photographs, the Fujifilm GFX 100 II improved my shooting experience most through autofocus and its viewfinder. I still use my Canon bodies for faster-moving work, but the GFX is a camera I love picking up for portraits.
Watch my full GFX 100 II review
This review follows weddings, elopements, engagements, proposals, families, senior portraits, food photography, and editorial assignments. I used the GFX 100S for two years before upgrading. The video includes field focus demonstrations, photographs from real sessions, and my menu setup.
Autofocus: better, with limits
In my own shooting, I estimated a focus hit rate around 70% with the GFX 100 II versus about 50% with my GFX 100S. Those are personal estimates, not controlled benchmarks. For groups and more distant subjects, I often turn eye detection off and use a single point. For close portraits, I switch eye detection back on.
The eye-detection indicator can lag or appear slightly misplaced. The improved viewfinder helps me judge whether focus looks right. When unpredictable movement is the priority, I still reach for my Canon R5 or R6.
Viewfinder, handling, and battery life
The electronic viewfinder is one of my favorite upgrades, both for checking a photograph and showing it to a client. The body is a little bigger than the GFX 100S, but the grip fits my hands well. I also enjoy the tilting screen for still photography.
I carry three batteries. At the time of this review, I had not used up two during a wedding day. That reflects how I work with the camera, rather than a standardized endurance test.
GF lenses and adapted Canon and Sigma lenses
The GF 80mm f/1.7 remains a go-to for portraits and families. It is not the quietest or fastest-focusing lens, but I love its rendering. The Fringer EF-GFX adapter also worked on my GFX 100 II, letting me experiment with Canon and Sigma lenses.
The video demonstrates the Canon EF 35mm f/1.4 II, GF 45mm f/2.8, GF 80mm f/1.7, Sigma 105mm f/1.4, and Canon EF 100–400mm II. The Sigma became a favorite for studio headshots, often around f/1.8 or f/2. Coverage and vignetting vary by lens, and I sometimes had to restart the camera after changing an adapted lens. See my Fringer adapter tests for individual lens examples.
My settings for portraits
I use back-button focus in AF-S and enable shutter-button autofocus in AF-C. A custom button toggles face and eye detection. I record lossless-compressed RAW files to CFexpress Type B and JPEGs to SD. My usual continuous setting is 5 fps, and I prefer the mechanical shutter because I encountered distortion when using the electronic shutter.
The detailed menu walkthrough starts around 39 minutes into the video. These settings suit my still-photography workflow; they are not a video setup guide.
Editing the files
I used an M1 Max 16-inch MacBook Pro and Lightroom Smart Previews for larger shoots. Later in the video, I checked the compressed RAW files and found sizes around 80–90 MB. The files are workable, but storage and editing time belong in the decision alongside the camera and lens cost.
Is the upgrade worth it?
I did not see a dramatic image-quality difference from the GFX 100S. For me, the upgrade was about focus, the viewfinder, and enjoying the process. It did not automatically make my work more profitable; it made photography more fun. Renting a body with a GF 80mm or 55mm is a useful way to find out whether that experience fits your work.
For another perspective on output, see my GFX 100S vs X-T5 print comparison.
Fujifilm GFX 100 II Autofocus Test: GF and Adapted EF Lenses
Watch my Fujifilm GFX 100 II autofocus test with GF 45mm and 80mm lenses, plus Canon 35mm and Sigma 105mm lenses on the Fringer EF-GFX adapter.
GFX 100 II Autofocus Test
I Tested the GFX 100 II with the GF 45mm and 80mm lenses. I also tested it with the Canon EF 35mm F1.4 II and Sigma EF 105mm F1.4 lenses. The Canon Lenses were tested with the Fringer EF-GFX adapter. Watch the video to see the results.
Fujifilm GFX 100S vs X-T5: Image Quality and Print Tests
Compare Fujifilm GFX 100S and X-T5 prints, resolution, Super Resolution, and ISO 8000 results. Watch the video and download RAW and JPEG samples.
Quick take: This comparison is about finished prints as well as pixels. I tested native resolution, enhanced X-T5 files, and ISO 8000 images, with downloadable samples so you can make your own comparison.
How I compared the cameras
I printed the test images at 17 × 22 inches on Canon Pro Luster paper with a Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-1000. The GFX 100S used an adapted Sigma 105mm f/1.4, and the X-T5 used the newer XF 56mm f/1.2 WR. I tried to match framing and distance, then cropped for the same print shape. This is a practical comparison of two kits, not a perfectly isolated sensor test.
What changed in the prints
At ISO 100, I found the differences much smaller in the prints than when inspecting pixels on screen. The native X-T5 file already looked excellent at this size, and increasing its resolution did not create an obvious improvement to my eyes in that print.
At ISO 8000, the X-T5 showed more noise, and Lightroom noise reduction at an amount of 20 made a visible difference. The GFX frame in that part of the test was slightly back-focused, so it should not be used as a clean sharpness comparison. Download the RAW files, exported JPEGs, and photographs of the prints to judge the examples yourself.
Hey everyone. Here are the results of my image quality testing between the GFX 100s and the Fuji X-T5.
You can Download the RAW and Jpeg Sample Images Download here So you can draw your own conclusion.
For this test, I used the GFX 100s with the Sigma 105mm f1.4 (Fringer GFX-EF Adapter was used) On the X-T5 I used the Fuji 56mm f1.2 WR. These seemed to be the closest focal lengths for the field of view and the depth of field was pretty close. My main goal was to keep the same distance from my subject. I cropped 22x17 and recomposed the crops so the images would look as close as possible for print. I used the Canon Prograf-1000 with 22x17" Canon Pro Luster Paper and Ink Owl's refill kit for the ink.
Resolution Comparison When Printed
For the first test, I exported the prints in full resolution and then I also added in an enhanced Super Resolution for the X-T5 changing the original pixel ratio from 5152 x 6667 pixels to 10,304 x 13,335 pixels. The GFX 100s image was 7936 x 10,270 pixels. These were the dimensions after exporting to jpeg and cropping for print.
In this link you can access the RAW images, the Jpeg before-print images, and then images of the actual prints. So please go and check them out so you can find your own results.
My thoughts are that the GFX provided me with a really fun perspective that stands out and is native high resolution. The X-T5 provides plenty of resolution and can be enhanced to take it even further. This is not a focus test review but I do find that the X-T5 is a much much easier camera to use based on a much better AF system and it is so compact. These are just my thoughts and this test is to help you decide what works best for you.
High ISO Comparison When Printed
For this second test, I wanted to compare the high ISO capabilities when printed. I know that the GFX is the best high-ISO performer when looking at pixels, but I wanted to see what happened when I print them.
I captured these images at 8000 ISO and 1/160th. The GFX 100s had the 105mm @f1.4 and the X-T5 had the 56mm @f1.2. I also used the Enhance feature in light for noise reduction at 20%. So you can see all three images. The room was really dark with some available window light. Use the link above to download the RAW images, Edited Jpegs, and photos of the prints to draw your own conclusion.
Canon EF 35mm F1.4 II on Fujifilm GFX 100S: Austin Photo Review
Canon EF 35mm F1.4 II sample photos on the Fujifilm GFX 100S with a Fringer adapter, including my Austin trip in a 65:24 panoramic crop.
Here are some sample images from the GFX 100s taken with the Canon 35mm f1.4 II using the Fringer GFX-EF Adapter. I photographed most of our trip to Austin in a 65x24 crop. This was a super fun aspect ratio. It pushed me to be more creative and the wider lens and shallow depth of field allowed me to capture scenes pretty much anywhere.
Sample Images: Download here
We started our trip at 4 am only to find that our 7 am flight was delayed until 1 pm. So here are a bunch of pictures of us wandering around a tiny airport with nothing to do.😂
We finally caught a flight to Denver where we took advantage of our priority pass for free food and drinks. 
After a super long day of traveling, we arrived at the South Congress hotel where we received a really nice upgrade to a huge suite. It pays to use hotels.com's rewards program. 
We grabbed some late-night pizza at Home Slice and then finally got some sleep. This place is pretty darn good.
On our first full day in Austin we attempted to walk into every retail store on South Congresss. Was fun day.
We discovered Joann's Fine Foods on the first day and ate almost half of our meals there. It was just too good.
Fringer EF-GFX Adapter Review: Canon and Sigma Lenses on GFX
Fringer EF-GFX adapter review on the GFX 100S, with Canon and Sigma lens tests, video comparisons, sample downloads, autofocus, and vignetting notes.
Quick take: Adapting full-frame lenses to the GFX system gives me more creative options, but coverage varies by lens. The longer Sigma primes worked well; the wider 24mm and 35mm options needed cropping to handle the corners.
Here is a review of the GFX 100s Fringer EF-GFX Lens Adapter. I adapted the Sigma 105mm f1.4, 85mm f1.4, 50mm f1.4, 35mm f1.4, and 24mm f1.4. I picked the Fringer over other adapters because it has an aperture ring. This makes using the GFX system much easier. When compared to native lenses the autofocus was paralleled. The only difference I noticed was that the Sigma lenses were quicker to focus and much quieter. the 35mm and 24mm struggled a bit more to focus at f/1.4. I also experienced the Fuji 23mm f/4 struggling as well. So my conclusion is that wider lenses just don't work as well on the GFX system when comes to autofocus.
You can watch the individual reviews to see how well they work on a Medium Format system. The 105mm, 85mm, and 50mm show little signs of vignetting which were easily corrected with a lens profile. The 35 and 24mm do have some corner issues that cannot be corrected. I had to crop the images with a 4x6 or 16x9 ratio. I'm fine with this since it allows me to get some creative wide images with some amazing depth of field and allows for lower-light portraits.
Sigma 40mm f/1.4 Review
Sample Images: Download here
This lens was fun but pretty darn huge.
Canon 35mm f/1.4 Review
Sample Images: Download here
This was and is my favorite wide-angle lens option for the GFX system at the moment.
Sigma 105mm f/1.4 Review
Here is a video of how well the Sigma 105 f/1.4 lens works on the GFX 100s with the Fringer EF-GFX Pro Adapter
Canon EF 85mm II F/1.2 Review
Sigma EF 85mm F/1.4 Review
The Sigma 85mm worked great with the Fringer Adapter. It slightly outperformed my Fuji GF 80mm when it came to some green fringing. When compared with the 80mm the Sigma 85mm was just as sharp at F1.8. It was definitely softer at F1.4 but allowed for some extra character.
Canon EF 50mm F/1.2 Review
Sigma EF 50mm F/1.4 Review
the Sigma 50mm F1.4 was super fun. I had no vignetting that wasn't able to be corrected in Lightroom. This lens is very sharp and holds up well at 100 megapixels.
Sigma EF 35mm F/1.4 Review
The Sigma 35mm F1.4 was fun. I did have some harsh uncorrectable vignetting on the corners. I had to crop into a 4x6 or 16x9, but this lens is still fun.
Sigma EF 24mm F/1.4 Review
The Sigma 24mm F1.4 had the worst vignette of all of the lenses. It still worked when cropping to 4x6 and 16x9.
Canon 100-400mm MK II and Tamron 150-600mm Tested
I tested the Canon 100-400mm F? 4.5-5.6 MK II and the Tamron 150mm-600mm F/ 5-6.3 G2. I decided that for my portrait and wedding work, the Canon 100-400mm was the lens for me. It was slightly sharper, had better Eye AF, and a bit more character. The lower aperture also helps when handheld. The Tamron 150-600mm was also a great lens and would be great for wildlife or sports.
Fujifilm X-T5 Review After One Month
My Fujifilm X-T5 review after a month of family photos and coastal trips, covering lenses, autofocus, high ISO, and comparisons with the R5 and GFX 100S.
Quick take: After a month with the Fujifilm X-T5, I loved its resolution, colors, and character as a personal camera. For my wedding work, I still preferred the familiarity and autofocus control of my Canon system, alongside the image quality of the GFX 100S.
These impressions come from my February 2023 video and the camera setup I used at that time.
Watch my Fujifilm X-T5 one-month review
Why I tried the X-T5
I had spent years photographing weddings with full-frame cameras, so returning to APS-C was a change. During this month I compared the X-T5 with cameras I knew well, including the Canon R5 and Fujifilm GFX 100S. I also photographed ordinary family life and a trip to the Oregon coast.
The X-T5 made a strong first impression. Its 40-megapixel files gave me plenty of detail, and I enjoyed the Fuji colors. The question was less whether it could make good photographs and more whether it filled a useful role alongside the equipment I already owned.
The XF 23mm F1.4 became my main lens
Most of the later examples in the video were made with the Fujifilm XF 23mm F1.4 R LM WR, which gives roughly a 35mm-equivalent field of view. I liked its sharpness, aperture ring, and build. It handled the coastal portraits and everyday photographs well, including images made wide open.
I also tried Sigma lenses and briefly used the Viltrox 13mm. The Sigma options interested me for a smaller budget, while the Viltrox impressed me with its sharpness and distortion control. I did not include Viltrox sample photographs in this video, so the image walkthrough mainly represents my experience with the 23mm.
Handling: enjoyable, with a few controls I bumped
The added grip extension made the camera more comfortable in my hand and was useful on a tripod. I liked the large rear AF button and found the focus-point selector easy to use, although it required a little reach.
I did accidentally move the stills/movie selector and the drive-mode control. I usually left the drive on continuous low, but sometimes found it on another setting. These were handling frustrations from my month of use, rather than reasons to dismiss the camera.
Autofocus control mattered more than a spec sheet
Eye detection worked well in some of my examples, including a surprisingly good result on small toy faces. My frustration was deciding when the camera should prioritize a face and when I wanted a specific focus point.
With my Canon and Sony setups, I was used to choosing a focus point and using an alternate button for eye or face focus. On the X-T5, I assigned the rear AF button to toggle detection, but the workflow felt less direct to me. For a wedding, where I may need to change subjects quickly, that difference mattered.
Image quality and high-ISO examples
The coastal photographs showed plenty of detail, attractive color, and good results from the 23mm lens. In my comparisons, the GFX 100S offered more resolution and a look I preferred, while the X-T5 still produced photographs I was happy with.
I generally felt comfortable with the results up to around ISO 3200 in these examples. At ISO 10000 in firelight, grain and color artifacts became more obvious. I also showed an ISO 25600 image that was surprisingly usable for the conditions. Those are personal judgments about particular photographs, not fixed limits for every subject or output size.
The R5 comparisons showed finer-looking background grain and differences in background blur. The cameras used different lenses, and not every comparison used the same aperture or framing. Treat the video as a practical look at my files, rather than a controlled sensor benchmark.
Would I use it for weddings?
The X-T5 can make professional work. I photographed a tattoo artist with it and liked the images. For my own weddings, though, I was quicker with Canon and appreciated the extra flexibility of the full-frame setup I already knew.
For personal photography, the X-T5 was a fun camera with beautiful files. If it is your main system, you do not need to compare every photograph with full frame to enjoy it. My hesitation was about adding another system to an already full kit.
Gear links and related reviews
The shopping links below are affiliate links from my original video description. I may earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
For another look at the files, read my GFX 100S vs X-T5 image-quality and print tests. For a different approach to a personal camera, see my Leica Q2 review.
Fujifilm GFX 100S Review for Weddings and Portraits
My Fujifilm GFX 100S review after 18 months of weddings, portraits, and family photography: autofocus, high ISO, lenses, and Lightroom workflow.
The GFX 100s is the best camera that I have ever used. For the last year and a half, I have been using the GFX 100s at weddings, engagements, family portrait sessions, and most of my personal life.
👇There are sample images at the bottom👇
Why Use the GFX 100s 📸
I use the GFX for the compressed perspective and color profiles or film simulations.
The GF 80mm gives a field of view similar to a 63mm lens on full frame, while the GF 45mm is close to 35mm equivalent. I enjoy this pairing for portraits and sometimes stitch panoramas when I need a wider view. Perspective depends on camera position; these are field-of-view comparisons.
I use one film simulation as my base, which is ASTIA/soft. I find this base to have an amazing dynamic range accompanied by some beautiful natural tones. Skin looks soft and colors are vibrant. The blues in the shadows really pop. In some cases, I just use a tone curve and in others, I put on the lite variation of my preset. Below you can see some photos of my wife and daughter that are edited with ASTIA/soft and are some of my favorite photos of all time.
When not to use the GFX 100s
I generally have an R5 with a 28-70 on one side and my GFX with 80mm on the other. My R5 is the workhorse and is dedicated to capturing anything that requires a decent autofocus system. When it comes to autofocus the GFX is slow. Although it is slow it is much more accurate the most other medium format bodies, due to it having contrast and phase detection. The GFX also suffers from a short buffer. It’s rare that I’ll photograph multiple frames in a row, but it is short-lived.
File Size @ 102 Megapixels
When photographing in Compressed Lossless RAW most of my images come out to be around 70MB. Which is very manageable. With a maxed-out 16” MacBook pro I have no problem. When I was using the original 13-inch M1 MacBook I did have to wait quite a bit to render smart previews and when exporting. Programs like Narrative Select fly through the images with no problem. In most cases, I will put the images on an external SSD, make smart previews, and then unplug the drive. The only time this really becomes necessary is when I am zooming into images to check focus or retouch in Lightroom. Even if you set LR to default to smart previews when in edit mode it will still try to render the whole image when you zoom. Unplugging the SSD helps me fly through images with no lag. It has become common practice for me with any camera larger than 24 megapixels.
Auto Focus
The Autofocus on the GFX 100s is way better than that of the 50s and horrible when compared to a sony or canon mirrorless. 95% of the time I have the shutter focus off and use an alternate button to set focus so that I don’t find the camera hunting for focus. This method has worked pretty well and I get way more keepers.
High ISO
The high ISO capabilities of this camera are next level. Shooting up to 10,000 ISO is no problem at all. Coupled with the 80mm F/1.7 you can take portraits almost anywhere. This also makes the 45mm F/2.8 much more usable without any added light.
Ergonomics
This camera might be bigger than an R5 or A7IV, but it is small considering the sensor inside. It fits my hand great and the lenses are generally lighter than the body, which makes it a comfortable system. The dials on the camera all feel great, I love lenses with aperture rings. The buttons could be a little more tactile and larger, but I have gotten used to them.
EVF and Screen
I do feel that a higher-resolution viewfinder would help me know when photos are in focus or not. A lot of times I focus and take a photo and find out later that it wasn’t actually in focus. So I do make 3 attempts to focus and take a few photos each time, which takes me back to my DSLR days.
The rear screen is great and I love the three-way tilt.
Summary
This camera has allowed me to push my photos to the next level. Every time I hear that big old shutter go clunk, I know that there’s an amazing image on the other end. I can’t wait to see what successor Fuji has in store for the GFX 100s. I'm hoping to try more GF lenses as well as see what type of EF lenses I adapt.
Here is a random assortment of my favorite photos from the last year and a half.
Fujifilm GFX 100S and X100V Travel Review: Iceland
Ten days in Iceland with the Fujifilm GFX 100S and X100V. Camera and GF lens reviews, autofocus notes, travel handling, and sample photographs.
Quick take: I took the GFX 100S, X100V, and four GF lenses to Iceland in April 2022. The GFX image quality was the highlight; the compact X100V was the camera I could carry when I left the larger bag behind.
Field notes from April 2022. Prices and availability mentioned below reflect the original review period.
10 days in Iceland with Fujifilm
These are my thoughts on the GFX 100s and the x100v cameras from my 10-day tour through Iceland in late April of 2022. Hopefully, this review can help you decide if this camera is for you. In addition, I'll be talking about the four GF lenses that I brought along on the trip. I'll probably be creating a future post on the GFX 100s for weddings review.
About Me
I have been a professional wedding and portrait photographer since 2007 and I have used cameras from Canon, Nikon, Sony, Leica, and now Fujifilm. This trip with my wife was celebrating my 40th Birthday. So, to best celebrate, before my trip, I purchased a GFX 100s with the GF 45mm F2.8 and GF 80mm F1.7. I rented the x100v and GF 23mm f4 from Borrow Lenses, and I also rented the GF 100-200 F5.6 from Lens Rentals. I have always been curious about Fujifilm cameras, but I left APS-C for full-frame cameras several years ago and really didn't want to go back. So when these new larger Fujifilm sensors started to get a real Autofocus system they finally hit my radar.
GFX 100s Review
- Image Quality. The image quality out of this camera is simply the best I've ever used. From the colors to the tones it can capture it's truly amazing.
- Medium Format. The largest notable difference that you will see with a medium format camera is the field of view you get when you photograph things/people up close. Portraits are where you see the number one advantage. Second, when you are trying to capture a large landscape up close with a wider lens, you will get way more in your field of view and see much less lens distortion. I also really like the 4/3 aspect ratio.
- 102 Megapixels. 102 megapixels is amazing for landscape images and very nice to have for portraits. I did face some problems in 2021 with the 13" M1 mac. That particular computer was fast but it still had some issues keeping up in LR with these larger files. I currently have the Maxed out 16" M1 Max and it does just fine. It renders 1.1 and smart previews 10 times faster than the 13" M1. For landscapes, you can never have too many pixels. As for portraits, 102 megapixels is more than enough it does help when you want to create multiple crops. For example, You can take a horizontal image and turn it into a vertical one with no resolution issues. Also, you can create some fun 16:9 images as well, and still print very large.
- Dynamic Range. This camera demonstrates the best dynamic range I've ever seen. I was able to recover up to 4 stops when under-exposed and 2 stops when over-exposed. There is really no need to bracket your exposures unless you have a very intense sunset.
- High ISO. The high ISO image quality is the best I have seen yet. I use the Canon R6 for my day-to-day work, (and have taken over 400,000 images with that camera), and the GFX blows it out of the water. The GFX 50s II is also a great performer in high ISO, but the 100s still win against the 50s II.
- Autofocus. When you compare the GFX 100s autofocus to the Canon R6 or R5 it's pretty darn slow. It falls in line more with a Sony a7 RII or a Canon EOS R. But when you compare it to the GFX 50s II it is amazing. The GFX 50s is solely contrast-detect and loves to hunt to find focus. While the GFX 100s has both contrast and phase detect, it will find focus and stop. the hunting on the GFX 50s II ended up getting pretty annoying.
- Ergonomics. This camera fits my hand like a glove.
- Handling. I feel like Fujifilm wins when it comes to button and dial settings. Every dial doubles as a push-button. This is a genius feature and gives you so much more customization. The rear directional button is a bit laggy, but still works great when you're not in a hurry.
- EVF and Flip Screen. The EVF is fine and has great customization. As for the rear flip screen, it is hands down my favorite rear screen that I've used. It is thought robust and the three-away tilt is a photographer's dream.
- Weight/Size. This camera is pretty darn light for what it is. It barely weighs more than my Canon R6 and it is just slightly larger. I was able to fit everything in the review in my Tenba Shoulder bag.
- Battery life. I was able to photograph a full day of travel with one battery and still have 25-50% left at the end of the day. I left my battery charger at home and just used a USB-C charger from Anker.
- Film Simulations. The film simulations are pretty fun. Although they are only applied to Jpeg and I never rely on a jpeg for work. The real benefit is that you can apply them to your RAW images directly in Lightroom Classic through the Camera Profile Settings. So I set my Jpeg preview to ASTIA/Soft so that I could preview what it would look like when my RAW files reached Lightroom. I was also able to match up the Fujifilm x100v by using the same film simulation. ASTIA/Soft is my favorite for colorful images and it treats skin tones very well.
- 16 Bit RAW Files. I pretty much only photographed on 16-bit. Note 16 bit will only work if you photograph on a single frame. If you switch to multiple frames the camera will bump down to 14 bit. I couldn't tell you that I see a huge difference when editing 16-bit files unless you are pushing the colors in your image. On a 16-bit image, you can pretty much max out the color sliders and then zoom to see that the files hold up super well and still look natural. For reference here are how many levels of colors and tones there are for a (16-bit image 65,536)(14-bit image 16,384)(8-bit image 256) Most images will find their way to an 8-bit image but have a file that will allow you to get your colors where you want them before going 8-bit can make a world of difference.
- Price: Although this camera is a little pricy, there really is nothing like it on the market for under $10,000. At the current time, this camera is just under $6000 and you can see the current price on Amazon HERE. I always suggest watching the amazing used market to save a little.
- Summary. I LOVE this camera. Every time hear that shutter click it makes me smile. I know I'm taking one of the highest resolution images possible. Although the autofocus is a little slower it's still plenty good if you know how you are going to use it. After 10 days with this camera, it's going to be a little hard using my Canon R6.
GF 23mm F4 Review
- 18mm Field of View Equivalent to a full-frame lens. I really enjoyed this field of view and saw very little noticeable distortion. Even when taking portraits of my wife.
- Autofocus. The autofocus on this lens is a bit slow. On continuous, it likes to jump around as if it was just using contrast-detect. I set it to S and used a custom button to set focus with shutter Autofocus turned off. This worked much better and was more consistent.
- Image Quality. This lens is sharp from edge to edge. I loved setting my crop to 16:9 so that I could see what a one image pano would look like.
- Weight. The 23mm has some weight but still feels great when paired with the GFX 100s.
- Price: As of now the GF 23mm is going for $2599. You can check the current price HERE on Amazon.
GF 45mm F2.8 Review
- 35mm Field of View Equivalent to a full-frame lens.
- Autofocus. The autofocus on this lens is the best of the lenses I have used so far. It performs great on continuous AF as well as Single AF.
- Image Quality. This lens is exceptionally sharp at f2.8 and just gets better. For landscape and panoramic photos, I stopped it down to f5.6.
- Weight. This is the lightest of the lenses and my favorite walk-around lens for the GFX system.
- Price. At $1699 I feel like this lens is one of the best value lenses on the system. Another cheaper option that I have played with is the Manual Focus Irix 45mm 1.4. I just found that having a good Autofocus system makes a world of difference for me. You can usually find great used options HERE on Amazon.
GF 80mm F1.7 Review
- 63mm Field of View Equivalent to a full-frame lens. This is hands down my favorite focal length and lens for portraits. It also captures some incredible landscape images.
- Autofocus. The autofocus on this lens is decent. The lens is a little noisy but it definitely focuses well, a I prefer using Single AF for my accurate results when shooting at 1.7.
- Image Quality. I didn't take this less off of 5.6 and it was as sharp as I could ever ask a lens to be.
- Weight. This lens is slightly lighter than most 70-200mm full-frame lenses.
- Price. The 80mm F1.7 is one of the more expensive lenses at $2299, but I feel like it is worth every penny. It is sharp from edge to edge and has very little vignetting. I purchased mine used on Amazon for $1899. So, if you have the time I recommend waiting for a good deal.
GF 100-200mm F5.6 Review
- 79-158mm Field of View Equivalent to a full-frame lens. This is hands down my favorite focal length and lens for portraits. It also captures some incredible landscape images.
- Autofocus. The autofocus on this lens is decent.
- Price. Coming in at $1999 this seems to be a pretty good price to me. Pretty much every 70-200mm lens I've purchased has ranged from $2300-$2700. You can check out the Current Amazon Price HERE.
Fujifilm x100v Review
- Image Quality. The image quality out of the x100v is pretty darn good. I was pretty happy with how sharp this little 23mm f2 lens is.
- APS-C Crop. With a 35mm equivalent field of view, it was fun to compare this camera to the 45mm lens on the GFX system. There is definitely more distortion but it's still a really fun and useful focal length.
- 26 Megapixels. 26 megapixels is plenty for a walk-around everyday camera. I have been very happy with the resolution of the images once on my computer. It's also fun to note that if you use the built-in digital teleconverter that the camera will automatically up the resolution output to 26 megapixels when recorded to the card.
- Dynamic Range. I would say that this camera easily recovers 2-3 stops when under-exposed, which I consider to be pretty good. It's much better when compared to the Leica Q and Leica Q2.
- ISO. The x100v does pretty well up into the 2000 ISO range. Then I would just consider adding in the built-in flash.
- Autofocus. The autofocus on this camera is very good and very reliable. The eye AF is very sticky and won't let you down. When compared to the GFX 100s, it is definitely snappier, but it does fall behind when compared to the Canon R5 or Canon R6.
- Ergonomics/Handling. The only drawback to this camera being so small, it did take me a little bit to train my large hands not to press all the buttons. I found myself moving the front dial quite a bit. The x100v does have some fun retro dials, but I did rely mostly on the front and rear dials to make quick adjustments. The aperture ring is a little slim for my hands but works great once you spend more time with the camera.
- EVF and Flip Screen. The EVF is fun because it gives you the option of full digital or a mostly analog view with a lens overlay. Both settings are fun to use. The rear screen tilts two ways, which is plenty for such a small camera.
- Weight/Size. I still can't believe how small this camera is. It fits in any of my pockets. I was able to keep it on my camera bag for the whole trip in a small accessory pocket. It makes a wonderful everyday camera and I took it out to breakfast and out to dinners when I wanted to leave my bag behind.
- Battery. The battery was always above 50% and I did charge it every night with a USB-C cable. It's nice that you don't need to bring along a charger, and one battery should be enough to get through any day of shooting.
- Film Simulations. The x100v shares enough film simulations with the GFX 100s, so you can match them up to make a synonymous editing workflow. It is always important for me to tell a story with the same style and tones and fuji makes that very easy.
- RAW files. These 14-Bit RAW files are great. I did photograph in Jpeg and RAW but found the RAW files to come out a lot sharper and cleaner in the realm of ISO noise.
- Price. For what this little camera can do, it seems to be a pretty reasonable price. Currently at $1399. You can see the updated price on Amazon HERE.
- Summary. This camera is fun and, although I rented it, I want one. At the time of my trip in April 2022, I couldn't find any for sale. It has been back-ordered for quite a while, so I'll have to wait a little while to get my own.
Other Gear I Used
- Peak Design Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod. This is one of the best tripods I've used in the last 14 years. It is lightweight and quick and easy to use. I've always been a fan of clasp locks vs twist locks since I had a twist lock tripod not lock and fall over. Amazon Price.
- Peak Design Capture Clip. I attached this clip to my Tenba Messanger bag should strap. It was very helpful and shared the same tripod plate as the travel tripod. Amazon Price.
- Peak Design Leash Camera Strap. This is the slim version and it is my favorite strap I've used yet. It is strong, easy to adjust, and most times you don't even notice it's there. I use it for my wedding and portrait work as well. Amazon Price.
- Pixel Oppilas E3 Wireless Remote. This Remote was helpful for taking portraits of my wife and me. I bought the Fujifilm model but it also works with my Canon R6 through the generic remote port. It was a budget option and worked great. Amazon Price.
- Tenba DNA 15 Camera Bag. They no longer make the bag that I used, but there are some great new options. One of my favorite options on their bags is the side pockets that stretch to fit almost anything. I was able to fit all of the gear in this review (minus the tripod) in one bag, which was amazing. Their bags are also very durable and water-resistant. This is probably my next option for a replacement bag. Tenba DNA 16 Pro Messenger Bag
Sample photo gallery
